‘Transformers 4′ Preview: Mark Wahlberg’s Cade Yeager

Apologies in advanced: This is one of those preview featurettes for Transformers: Age of Extinction that is painfully short on robots, dinosaur robots and robots riding dinosaur robots, and is instead more focused on… the human element. “Best aspect of Michael Bay’s Transformers films…” said no fan ever.

We at least have the hope and potential that comes with novelty; in this new start to a new trilogy, we get new human protagonists in the form of wannabe inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz) – and to lesser extent, her boyfriend Shane (Jack Reynor). Today’s Transformers 4 preview featurette focuses on Wahlberg… basically telling you everything we already said: he’s a wannabe inventor; discovers a rusted Optimus Prime; and tries to protect his daughter when that grand discovery makes them target. And his name sounds like a jab at Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim. Boom.

This featurette doesn’t even divulge what previous trailers and clips have shown, such as Cade trading wits with the powerful Harold Attinger (Kelsey Grammer) – or trading blows with the violent agent Savoy (Titus Welliver). “You should’ve never come after mah family,” is destined to make the reel of Mark Wahlberg supercut quotables. Just you watch.

Even those who are (unapologetic) fans of Bay’s Transformers films don’t particularly love the human element. However, Wahlberg kicking butt alongside Optimus Prime we can all probably believe more than the semi-heroic exploits (and fumbles) of Sam “Bumblebeeeee!” Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). As for the daughter? Well, we doubt anyone is too pleased with having “Daaaaaaaad!” and “Beeeeeeeee!” replacing the Witwicky panic chorus, but it is what it is… (“A Michael Bay film.”)